Dr. Gunther von Hagens the German plastinator

http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090507-19123.html

Did a search but found no discussion on whether this bloke should be paid or locked up.

Personally I think he is a ghoul in both meanings of the word.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghoul
Main Entry: ghoul Pronunciation: \ˈgül\ Function: noun Etymology: Arabic ghūl Date: 1786
1: a legendary evil being that robs graves and feeds on corpses
2: one suggestive of a ghoul ; especially : one who shows morbid interest in things considered shocking or repulsive

I have heard the arguments - the bodies are just empty flesh, the previous owners are happy to have this done etc etc.
He is still a ghoul and anyone who pays to look at his collection is sick as well.

A couple of other threads mentioning this guy.

Gunter von Hagans' Körperwelt exhibition

Günther von Hagens 'Body Worlds' is coming home

That is your opinion and you are welcome to it.
The exhibition comes to Augsburg soon and I am very much looking forward to going to see it. No doubt there will be people (possibly like you) outside the place protesting and trying to spoil a day out for those wishing to go.

wasn't there a hoo-ha some time ago that he got a lot of his early cadavers under suspicious circumstances from Russia or something?

here's a news report about it.

the exhibition was on at Manchester's Science Museum when I was there last year but they were charging a bomb to get in. sod that.

Could have been worse...they could have been charging an arm and a leg.

I could've paid with plastic I guess.

Steven192 won't be going...his heart is not in it!

But I am sure that he will be giving us a piece of his mind!

I don't wish to go myself, but surely he is just breaking down one of societies many taboos?

If you will happily walk into a supermarket and select chopped up bits of animals to eat, I don't see why viewing the reality of the human condition is so bad?

Personally I am more shocked that my local RC church keeps a couple of dead guys on view in fishtanks either side of the altar:

The bodies on display are of people who freely donated their bodies to this project. I required paperwork is kept on file as proof.
Many people don't think what he is doing to right, but according to the number of visitors these exhibitions are pulling in around
the world they are the minority. I remember the 1st time I went to one and had to way 4hrs just to get in..

"Trying to spoil a day out"! That raised a grin.

So would you be as supportive if it was a collection of (Getting my Godwin in early here) human skin lampshades or artistically piled gold teeth?

I suppose you are a supporter of that other "artist" Zhy Yu as well.[font="Times New Roman">[size=2][font="Times New Roman">[size=2]

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Not unlike the artistic assembly of human bones into various designs and objects, right?
Have a look at the church of bones..

No is the answer to your question.
The difference being that Gunther von Hagens exhibits have willingly donated themselves for the purpose of the exhibition. They are quite literally dieing to be part of the show!

Steven192, it is your Thread, your call, but I suggest you add a poll.

@Steven192 According to Godwin's law you have just automatically lost the argument.

The more I think about it, I would assume this stuff would be very informative to those that have an interest or a career in sport or medicine. I suspect that the bodies seen by medical students are NOT presented in such an animated fashion and therefore harder to imagine exactly how the ligaments and bones really fit and work together.

For instance I have knackered knees so would really like to see EXACTLY how all the bits work and fit together. I have seen diagrams but they are just 2 dimensional, and simple 3D plastic models, but I am sure something more detailed would be very useful. I could then understand better how weight training the various muscle groups would help.

In the same way that seeing a cutaway engine operating is very useful to get an idea of how the combustion engine works.

Sports Medicine is just engineering, but with the human body. I only use my car or motorbike for a few hours a day, but I use my body all the time.

(But I'm still not going!! Just doesn't sound like a nice day out frankly)

I agree with JohnnyE on this one, although I already know the engineering involved in being ridden 'reverse cowgirl' style, so I am not too sure about the 2 cadavers having a romp! Maybe that is pushing the limits a little.